Needle



March 8 1927' R. A. HOWE NEEDLE Filed April 28. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet vwemtoz al 0k A Ho we.

2 Z 5 7 atl'ozuegJ March 8 9 R. A. HOWE NEEDLE Filed April 28. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Val Ola A. Howe.

patented RALPH A. HOWE, 01E WASHINGTQN, DISTRIGT 9F @OLUMBIA.

NEEDLE.

Application filed April 28, 1926. Serial No. 105,247.

ticular skill or close attention on the part of the user of the needle, the needle being so constructed that one who has by practice acquired a knowledge of the length and direction of the stroke to be imparted to the needle may rapidly manipulate the same without any likelihood of performing the task in an improper manner and may. on the other hand, re-establish the loops of a run with such precision that the fact that the fabric has been repaired will not be perceptible to the eye.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the needle that the position which it should be caused to assume in its operation will be the most natural position in which the needle would be held by the user so that having, by practice, properly deter' mined the method of manipulating the needle and the stroke to be given the same, one may perform perfect repair work in knitted fabric having a run therein, the operation of the needle, or rather the functioning of its component elements, being entirely mechanical and depending upon no extraneous physical force such asmagnetism.

The needle embodying the invention includes, as essential elements, a hook and a latch for coaction therewith, and it is another important object of the present invention to so construct the latch that in the mere backward and forward reciprocation of the needle substantially on a line with its axis, and by proper engagement with threads to be re-looped in a piece of knitted fabric in which a run has been produced, the latch will automatically function with accuracy to result in the perfect re-formation of the 100 s.

nother object of the invention is to so construct the needle that but a single reciprocation thereof, that is to say, a forward and backward movement substantially in a line with its axis, is required to form each loop, so that the task of repairing a run in knitted fabric is capable of accomplishment in less time and with less labor than where, as in some previous instances, it has been necessary to impart two backward and forward strokes to the needle for the purpose of forming each loop.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the needle that the loops will be accurately and uniformly reformed so that the ire-established series of loops will completely eliminate the unsightly appearance of the run and restore the fabric to its original condition. I,

Another object of the invention is to provide a needle for the purpose set forth so constructed that it will be entirely mechanical in its operation when rcciprocated by hand and will not be rendered more or less inoperative or inefficient if the fabric acted. upon by the needle carries any oily matter which might form an imperceptible and yet present film upon the surfaces of the elements of the needle. I

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged side elevation of the needle embodying the invention, the latch of the needle being shown in full lines in closed position and in dotted lines in open position.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional. view on an enlarged scale illustrating the needle, a portion of the latch being shown in elevation and a portion insection, asfalsothe hook of the needle.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the needle, the latch being closed.

Figure 4: is asimilar View illustrating the latch open. p s

Figure 5 is a perspective .view of the latch removed from the needle shank.

Figure 6 is a schematic, view illustrating on a much enlarged scale the fabric to be repaired and the manner in which the needle is engaged with a loop at the end of the run in the fabric in the initial applicationof the needle to the fabric for the reformation of theloops Figure 7 is a similar view illustrating the needle at substantially the limit of its forward stroke through 'the fabric and through the loops with which it is illustrated as engaged in Figure 6 of the drawings.

Figure 8 is a similar view illustrating the mannerv in which the first thread of the lid lid

i the eight of the hoot:

inn is engaged hy the hook of the needle immediateiy prior to iooping it to restore the loop therein.

Figure 9 is a similar View iliusti'ating the new loop as formed and the position of the needle immediately after: the commencement of the operation oi forming the neat loop.

The needle embodying the present inventions comprises in generai a hook member and a latch ineinhei' coacting therewith. The hook member includes a shank 1 provided With a handle 2 which may of any desired contour and any desired material. The shank It is preferably circular in cross section and, at its free end terminates in a hook which is indicated in general by the numeral 3, the shank being graduaiiy taperech as at 4, at and adjacent its juncture With said hook. The hook is likewise. preferably circular in cross section and is tapered to the extremity oi" its hill, Which loili is indicated by the numeral The hight ot' the hook extends m curves iateraliy from its juncture with the shank i and the extremity of the hill of the hook is presented toward the butt end of the shank, at which end the handle is located. The bill of the hook is tapered, as clearly shown in Figure 4 of the dtawings, and one side oi. the bill of the hook is more acutely inclined or beveled than the other side, as indicated by the numeral 6, so that the side i? of the hiiil is more pi'onouncedly tapered than the opposite side thereof and the purpose i thus toi'niing the loiil of the hook wiil pi ently; he more pattii pointed c The shank i. of the neodie is ii""1iltl in 1:;

from ad h the heel?- 3 pi'ogects, narrow iohgitudinal channel i d the numeral '2 nuinei-ai in .sral the latchv member of which. includes a shank portion the chan i an that the 5 0i approximately ts inteianedlate pos tion proportioned its eXtreinit /i, in the stated position of the iatch, projects ashort distance beyond the point of engagement of the hiii of the hook With the concave sciface 12 of the head so that the extremity oi the head is siightly spaced from the outer side of the hiii ot the hook. The outer edge of the iatch,'o1 What may he termed the hack of the latch, indicated lay the numeral 13, extends preferably on a substantially straight line as shown in Fi ure 2 of the drawings, and merges with the outer suyface of the head ll. As will he observed by ZQfQi'GZ'iCG to Figure 5 and iikewise by refstance to Figure 4 ot' the drawings, the shank 9 of the latch 8 is flat-sided at and adjacent the pivot 10 and of a tiickness to freely fit within the channel. 7 and yet be restrained from. any lateral displacement, and from a point immediately adjacent the real end oi the head 11, the said shank is gradually increased in thickness, both in the direction of its free end and likewise in the direction of its said back 135. it Will likewise he noted hy reference to the drawings that that edge of the shank which is opposit the edge oi hack 13, and which is indicated by the numeral 14, extends on a line diverging: iron! the hne of extent of the said. hack 1.? in the direction of the free end oi?- the latch" "ihe hitch is provided at its end d iiiwai'diy of the extremity of the h "with a nose hump 15 which pi" .iiy extends at ohl'd:-i* angio from i c; concave and is ni'ciei i the nniiiei'al o; the

once to that when shown Nil dfl

tlll

engaging between the rounded outer side of the head of the latch where it projects in slightly spaced relation to the upper end of the shallow recess 17 in the forward side of the shank of the needle. Therefore, the movement of the latch into and out of closed position is a positive and accelerated one and effected entirely automatically in the back and forth passage of the needle through the loops as they are successively formed in the fabric. 7

As previously explained, the taper of the side 6 of the bill of the hook is more pronounced than is the taper of the opposite side of said bill of the hook and it will be evident that this is of advantage inasmuch as when the bill of the hook engages beneath the thread 7) for example, prior to assuming the position shown in Figure 8, and under the action of the latch, the thread will pass freely over the said tapered side 6 of the bill of the hook inasmuch as this side is at such time substantially parallel to the line of extent of the thread.

l/Vhile the needle embodying the invention is designed primarily for use in repairing runs in stockings and socks, its use is by no means limited to articles of hosiery, for it may be equally well employed in repairing runs in sweaters or any other knitted articles or fabrics.

llt will be observed from the foregoing description of the invention that the needle is exceedingly simple in construction and likewise very substantial, notwithstanding the fact that it will be of very small dimensions, in practice, and that there are no lateral stresses imposed upon the latch of the needle which might tend to distort the same or weaken its connection with the shank of the needle. Likewise, it will be evident that the formation of the head of the latch is such that when the needle is pulled through the loops which have been formed thereby, there is no possibility of the loops catching in the hook of the needle. n the other hand, the engagement of the threads of the run, in a piece of knitted fabric being repaired by the use of the needle, is positively insured by the movement of the latch to closed position as the latch at this time serves to throw the thread into engagement in the bight of the hook of the needle.

It will be evident that due to the provision of the shallow recess 17 and likewise due to the proportioning of the latch "0 that the back of the-shank of the latch will seat in the channel 7 with the head of the latch resting at its convex outer side in the said recess at a point near the upper end thereof, it is possible to so proportion the parts that' when the latch is open the needle will, at the point of location of the nose or hump l and on a transverse line intersectreaaaeo ing the nose or hump and the needle shank, be reduced in thickness as compared with the thickness which the needle would possess at this point if it were not for the provision of said recess, so that less tension is imposed upon the thread in the formationof loops therein. Should the operator accidentally pick up two threads instead of one, the threads thus taken up may be dropped from the hook without entirely withdraw- 'ing the needle from engagement with the fabric, and the operation of. the needle then continued in the proper manner.

In stating that the engagement of the looped thread with the nose or hump of the latch effects an accelerated opening of the latch is meant that, owing to the position of the nose or hump with respect to the free end of the latch, the looped thread engages the latch soonerior quicker than if the shank of the latch were of uniform diameter and consequently advances the time of the initial openingincrement of said latch so that the opening of thelatch is effected before the free end of said latch penetrates the fabric.

'lhe term nose or hump applied to the part on the latch is intended to cover any means which, when engaged by a thread, will move the latch to open position before the free end of said latch engages or penetrates the fabric.

Having thus described the invention, what l. claim is:

l. A needle for repairing fabrics comprising a hook member, a latch member, and a hump on one of said members projecting toward the other member and engageable by a thread to open the latch before the free end of the latch engages the fabric.

2. A needle for repairing fabrics including a hook member and a freely movable pivoted latch member one of which is provided with a hump coacting with the-other member and engageable by a thread to automatically open the latch before the free end of said latch engages the fabric.

A needle for repairing fabrics having a shank and a hook, and a latch pivoted to the shank and movable to open and closed positions with relation to the hook, the said latch having a hump coacting with the shank, when the latch is in closed position, and engageable by a thread to open the latch before the free end of said latch engages the fabric.

42.. A needle for repairing fabrics having a shank and a hook, and a latch pivoted to the shank and having a head at its extremity to engage the bill of the hook, the said latch being movable to open and closed positions, with relation to the hook, the said latch being provided, inwardly of its said head, with a hump coacting with the shank, when the latch is in closed position, and engageable by a thread to open the latch herot reeoeeo fore the free end of said latch engages the fabric.

5. A needle having a shank and a hook at the end of the shank, and a latch pivoted to the shank and movable to open and closed positions with relation to the hook, the said latch having a hump coacting with the shank and provided with a curvilinear thread-engageable surface curved to extend outwardly from the side of the shank when the latch is in closed position whereby to constitute means for effecting accelerated automatic opening movement of the latch through the engagement of the thread with the said hump when the needle is moved in contact with the thread.

6. A needle for repairing fabrics having a shank provided at its end with a hook, and a latch pivoted to the shank and n'iovable to open and closed positions with relation to the hook, the said shank having a. shallow recess in its side from which the hookfprojects, the said latch having a .head at its outer end engageable with the bill of the hook in the closed position of the latch and receivable within the recess in the open position of the latch, the outer surface of the said head of the latch being convexly curved in the direction of the'length dimension of the latch and a hump on the latch engageable by a thread to open said latch before the free end of the latch engages the fabric.

7. A. needle for repairing fabrics having a shank provided at its end with a hook, and a latch pivoted to the shank and movable to open and closed positions with relation to the hook, the said shank having a shallow recess in its side from which the hook projccts, the said latch having a head at its outer end cngageable with the hill of the hook in the closed position of the latch and receivable within the recess in the open position of the latch. the outer surface of the said head of the latch being convexly curved in the direction of the length dimension of the latch whereby the extremity of the head will project in spaced relation to the recess in the said open position of the latch to be engageable by a thread when the needle is moved in one direction, the said latch being provided, inwardly of the head, with a hump coacting with the shank, when the latch 1s closed, and engageable by a thread as the needle is moved in the reverse direction to open the latch before the free end of said latch engages the fabric.

8. A needle having a hook, and a latch movable to open and closed positions with relation thereto and having a portion engageable by a thread to effect automatic accelerated opening of the latch. the bill of "the hook being tapered and having one side more acutely tapered than the other, to permit of free passage of a thread to be looped, over the said bill of the hook.

9. A needle for repairing fabrics comprising a hook member, a pivoted latch member, and a. hump on one of said members, the free end of the latch member being engageable by a thread to close said latch member when the needle is moved in one direction and the hump being engageable by a thread when the needle is moved in the reverse direction to open the latch before the free end of said latch engages the fabric.

10. A needle having a shank provided with a tapered portion and a hook at the end of said tapered portion, and a latch pivoted to the shank and movable to open and closed positions with relation to the hook, said latch having a hump coacting with the shank and extending transversely across the eye of the needle near the tapercd portion of the shank whereby to constitute means for effecting accelerated opening movement-of the latch through engagement of a thread with the said hump when the nccdle is moved in contact with the thread.

ll. A needle for repairing fabrics having a hook member, and a latch member pivolally movable to open and closed positions with relation to the hook member, one of the said members having a hump projecting toward the other member and engageable by a thread looped over the hook, the hump being so located with relation to the open side of the hook as to open the latch immediately following entrance. of the loop into the open side of the hook and befolc the free end of said latch engages the fabric.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

nALPH A. HOWE. L 5. 

